My three word motto: EXPLORE. GROW. CELEBRATE.
Forget resolutions. It’s time to take a different approach to starting this year off right: If you could choose three words to define your upcoming year, what would they be? These words should be unique to you, and will help shape your goals and set the course for whatever destination you aspire to reach.
Last week I talked a bit about some of the advice that businessman Chris Brogan shared with my social media class about how to gain a following and achieve success. During this event he mentioned a simple but extraordinary idea that really inspired me: the three word motto. As well as creating and sharing his own every year, he also encourages others to come up with their own mottos. This got me thinking about what a big year 2016 was going to be for me. I’m a senior graduating from the best school ever, UW Madison, with an awesome degree in Life Science Communication. I’ve got a solid background in animal science and an emphasis in communication technologies. That sounds great doesn’t it? I’ve been looking forward to graduation for some time now, but what happens after that?
Thinking about my future made me realize my first word, explore. I want to explore every opportunity that comes my way and be open to new possibilities. When I started college I thought for sure I was going to be veterinarian, but if I hadn’t explored other majors I would have never found what a prefect fit communications was for me. Travel definitely fits in to the explore part of my motto because I want to see as much of the world as I can before really committing to anything long term. I don’t think I’ll get to explore as many places as I’d like to this year, but even if I end up staying in Wisconsin I wan’t to immerse myself in as many new situations as possible. I think it’s critical for everyone to push themselves a little outside their comfort zone; who knows what you might find!
The next word sort of transitions from explore: grow. Growth is extremely important for me this year especially because I have been lucky enough to have parents that can help me out financially when I need it. One of my goals for the end of this year is to be financially stable and on my own, wherever that may be. I want to give back to my folks and let them know that I don’t take their support and patience for granted. Every one you care about needs to hear the words “thank you.” Even beyond independence, I am always looking to grow and learn more about myself and others. Once I land my first “big girl job” (fingers crossed) I know I will have to really step it up and learn from my mistakes (as I’m sure many of you can relate).
My final word means the most to me: celebrate! It seems silly but it is so important! I listened to a motivational speaker once that said not to make “To Do” lists, but “Ta Da!” lists instead. The concept behind this is that it’s human nature to always be thinking about what’s next. We focus so much on all the things we have yet to accomplish we forget to acknowledge the things we’ve already finished. Every time you check something off your list, take a moment to appreciate what you’ve done and tell yourself “Ta Da!” This advice really stuck with me and is so relevant for this year because with everything I have do this semester and post graduation, I need to take more time to celebrate how far I’ve come! Even all the bad times we have help make us who we are. I am so thankful to be where I am right now, in this exact moment.
So there you have it, EXPLORE. GROW. CELEBRATE. What is your three word motto? Let me know! Plus, if this helped you at all then be sure to share and pass on the idea to others. You can also read Chris Brogan’s blog and learn about his three words for this year. Once you get started, remember to look back on these words as the years go by to reflect on who you were then, who you are now, and who you aspire to be in the future.
